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Monday 30 December 2013

Set Your New Years Intentions on Fire!


Do you have your New Years Resolutions set? I challenge you to give your resolutions a twist this year- rephrase them, and turn them into New Years Intentions. Once you do that, we can set them on fire and in motion! You have the ability to make 2014 your best year yet! Plus it's a new moon! Which means your intentions are manifested even quicker, you'll want to do this fun exercise this year for sure! 



Why intentions?
Resolutions often focus on the negative, things we wish to change or don’t like about ourselves. Like, "I want to lose ten pounds." or "I'm never eating fast food again." Intentions are more positive and about the process/journey, rather than a focusing on what you are doing wrong or an end goal that can be 'failed'. By setting an intention we open ourselves to multiple outcomes, ones that may be greater than we imagined in the first place. 


Write them down
Here's a fun exercise! On New Years Eve, grab a pen and paper and write down your New Years Intentions. You can do this on your own or with a group. When writing, take the time to look inward and be clear on what you want. This doesn’t mean figuring out the HOW; leave that up to the universe! If you have a clear idea of what you truly desire, the universe will conspire to make it happen for you.

Set them on Fire!
After you have your New Years Intentions written down, put them in a safe place overnight, or sleep on them under your pillow. On New Years Day, wake up and Set Your Intentions on FIRE! Throw them in the fireplace, burn them over the toilet and throw in the water, or however you like as long as it is SAFE. By burning the paper you are saying to the universe that you trust in it’s ability to provide, and release control over the outcome. You are surrendering to the beautiful mystery, knowing that things will happen for you at the exact time and place they are meant to. And they will! 
 **If you are under the age of 18 please get an adult to assist you in burning your intentions, or just rip them up and throw them in the garbage! 

Writing your intentions:
- Be clear. What do you truly desire and want this year to hold for you?
- If you don't know what you want, set some time aside to meditate and clear your mind. Imagine yourself in your happiest state/place and let the intentions flow to you.
- Write them down in one or two sentences. 
- Set intentions that are of service to others, and/or the universe. Ie: ‘I want more money – so that I can be more generous.’  'I want to be on t.v. - so that I can help spread a positive healthy message."
- State them in the present tense, as if they are already true. And don't let your mind tell you they can't be done. 'I am abundant so that I may share my wealth with the world.' 

If I have learned anything this past year it’s that what we resist persists and what ever we focus our attention on manifests. Instead of focusing on losing that last ten pounds try shifting your perspective and thought patterns to focus on things we love about ourselves. The more love we have for ourselves, the more likely we are to respect our bodies, minds and spirits.  Love comes first. 

Here are some examples of New Years Intentions based on ones I will be writing for myself! What are yours?
  1. I love and respect my body, spirit and mind. I choose healthy foods to fuel my body, think positive thoughts, move my body and sleep well.
  2. I embrace both my light and dark side, there is no good or bad, no right or wrong.
  3. I choose to meditate often which includes, singing, dancing and sitting silently.
  4. I allow myself the space to be creative, to paint and play and explore. 
  5. I am abundant in all aspects, financially, spiritually, and in my relationships so that I may be of service to others.
  6. I am full of love and gratitude at all times. My light shines bright and inspires other to do the same. 
  7. I am confident in my abilities and take opportunities knowing that I cannot fail. Only successes and lessons to be learned. 
  8. I live in the present moment. No need to worry about the future or live in the past.  Now is all that matters. 
  9. I create a inspiring work space for myself at home that is organized. 
  10. I create my own website so that I may inspire others to live more healthy lives.
  11. My heart is open to new possibilities and experiences.  
  12. I choose to give up negative self talk and accept myself and others for who they are. I am perfect. You are perfect. We are all perfect. 
  13. I choose to spend time travelling to hot places with fresh, ripe fruits. 
Ready? Set. Inspire! Plant those seeds and watch them grow. I wish you all the best in 2014! 

Lots of Love and Fresh Squeezed Hugs!
xo
Ashley Clark
Holistic Health Coach
Naturally Ashley Nutrition

What are your personal health goals? 
Message me anytime to schedule your free initial health consult! A new year, a fresh new healthy start! xo


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Sunday 22 December 2013

Healthy Holiday Drink Recipes

HO HO HO Healthy Holiday Drink Recipes! Everyone loves to sip on nog, or hot cocoa while sitting beside the fireplace, (real or on your t.v. screen!) but maybe you would like something with a little less fat, and sugar, and dairy and eggs! Hmmmm?



I thought I would share with you my favorite holiday drink recipes so that you and your family can enjoy a healthier holiday season. Try both the Holiday Nog and Ginger Cocoa recipes, plus the most Christmasy Cran-Cherry Smoothie! All recipes are free of dairy, eggs, gluten, and sugar, and made using only whole fresh foods, a little spice and a lot of love.

 I got to present these recipes on the Regina Global Morning News Show on Dec 23rd! Here's the link to the live segment! 
http://globalnews.ca/video/1047625/vegan-holiday-drinks 

RECIPES:

Cran-Cherry Apple Cinnamon Smoothie
This is the perfect holiday smoothie. Especially if you end up with some leftover cranberries, fresh or frozen. Did you know that cranberries are a good source of iodine? A mineral that many people are deficient in. I make sure to stock up on fresh organic cranberries this time of year just so that I have lots on hand! 
*Tastes great as a breakfast smoothie or taken to holiday parties.












Ingredients: 
*1 cup frozen cherries 
*1/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries 
*1 mandarin orange peeled 
*1 gala apple cored
*1/2tsp vanilla powder  
*1 tsp cinnamon
*1/2 c water

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy! 
Ginger Cocoa
Can you imagine anything better than a hot, sweet, ginger, chocolate drink? Me neither! I can't get enough ginger cocoa, it really warms me up on a cold winter day. You can make it with just cocoa and dates for a sweet hot chocolate, or just dates and ginger for a real spicy treat! Either way, you're going to love this warming drink! 








Ingredients: 
*6-8 pitted dates 
*thumb sized chunk of fresh ginger 
*1/2 tsp cinnamon
*2 tsp of carob powder* (or cocoa)
*2 to 3 cups of hot water

1. Heat 2 to 3 cups of water in a kettle or on the stove. 
2. Place dates, ginger, and spices in the blender
3. Add the hot water, blend and enjoy! 

*I use carob powder instead or cocoa or raw cacao because it's caffeine free and has a earthy chocolatey taste!

Holiday Nog
I didn't believe that there could be a dairy free, sugar free version of eggnog that I would enjoy. I remember buying the soy-nog in the tetra pack and the eggnog tea just to try and get my nog fix when I first went dairy free. None of the imitation nogs were satisfying. I was so excited when I first tried a raw vegan eggnog made from coconut and frozen bananas by Heather at therawbuzz.com. And I loved it! I made the recipe for my family last Christmas. Some of them didn't love the hint of banana flavor as much as I did, so I came up with this persimmon recipe which is equally delicious without the nana undertones.













Ingredients:
*Water and meat from one young thai coconut
*2 persimmons (frozen) 
*3 Medjool dates (pitted)
*1/4 tsp vanilla powder (or 1/2tsp vanilla extract)
*1/2 tsp cinnamon 
*pinch of nutmeg

1. Freeze two persimmons overnight in freezer. Remove the top leaves and cut them into chunks before freezing. Check for seeds, they may or may not contain any (usually not). If you cannot find persimmons, 2 frozen bananas make an equally awesome nog!
2. Place frozen persimmon or banana chunks into your blender.
3. Crack open your coconut and pour out the water into a the blender.
4. Scoop out the coconut meat and add to the blender. (skip the meat for proper food combining)
5. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until smooth and enjoy your Holiday Nog! 

***If you do not have a high speed blender, pre-soak the dates in a cup of water for at least an hour beforehand to soften them up. 
***If you cannot find a young thai coconut you can use 1 cup of bottled coconut water.

I hope you enjoy these delicious holiday drink recipes. Let me know your favorites! 

Happiest Holidays to you and yours! 
xoxo
Lots of Love and Fresh Squeezed Hugs!


What are your personal health goals? Message me anytime to schedule your free initial health consult!

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Tuesday 5 November 2013

Mason Jar Meals Make Easy Lunches with 3 Healthy Recipes!

One of the questions I get asked often is 'What are healthy lunch ideas?' Most people want something that is fun, quick and easy to take to work, and mostly healthy too! While there is nothing easier than taking 10 bananas or 2 lbs of grapes to work for lunch, my advice is usually to take a big green smoothie in a mason jar. Mason jars are great for hauling your water and smoothies around but they are also a part of a fun new lunch trend called Mason Jar Meals. They became really popular this summer and now you can find tons of ideas for healthy and tasty mason jar meals on websites like Pinterest. These self-contained entire meals are way healthier and tastier than a frozen dinner and won't get soggy like a sandwich. The key is in the layering. Dressing on the bottom, with layers going up from more dense to less dense. Example: Dressing, chickpeas, carrots, red pepper, leafy greens. Most recipes tend to yield 4-6 meals so you can make your lunches for the week ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator.  Just grab and go in the morning!

 Tips For Making Mason Jar Meals:
  • Be sure there is no gap between the lettuce and the jar lid or the lettuce might go bad (when prepping for more than a day or two in advance). 
  • If it's a meal that needs to be mixed and eaten in the jar, leave some room at the top for mixing. 
  • Make sure the dressing is at the bottom to keep the veggies crisp.
  • Take a bowl (and a fork) to dump the salad in. You can easily wash the bowl and keep it at work.
  • Turn the jar upside down 10-15 minutes before lunch time.  This helps get dressing out of the jar if you do not have a spatula or a spoon to scoop it all out. 
  • You can mix the dressing with cooked quinoa before adding it to the jars. 
  • Use quart size jars for meal-sized salads. (I could personally take 2-3 for one meal! I eat a lot of greens!) 
  • For recipes that call for tomatoes- use cherry or grape instead of chopped! 
  • Red leaf lettuce wilts more quickly than Romaine and green leaf.
  • Wash and DRY the ingredients before filling your jar. 
  • If you can find them, get the large mouth jars. They will make it easier to fill and remove your meals. 
I love mason jars is because they are relatively cheap. You can usually buy them at Superstore here in Canada and get a case of 12 for around $10. That's less than $1 a jar. I bet your fancy tupperware and glass containers cost at least $5 or more.  Also, mason jars are made of glass so no chemicals leaching from the plastic. The lids also fit on securely so you do not have to worry about leaks in your bag. (If you find that your lids start to rust there are plastic lids you can purchase online at Amazon.ca) 

Pictured from left to right:
-Mango Curry Kale Salad 
-Black Bean Fiesta Salad
-Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

 RECIPES!

 Mango Curry Kale Salad

 Mango Curry Dressing:
1 cup mango cubed (Defrost if using frozen)
1/2 pint whole cherry tomatoes
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
a tiny chunk of ginger, pinky finger size
*Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or high speed blender.

Layer in Mason Jar in order:
1. Mango Curry dressing (use as much as you like in the bottom, I like my salads saucy!)
2. 1/2 pint whole cherry tomatoes
3. Red Onion, Red peppers
4. Chopped Kale
5. Small handful of fresh cilantro

 Black Bean Fiesta Salad 

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 can black beans
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
3/4 cup organic corn
Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
1/2 Avocado or 1/2 cup fresh guacamole
Optional:
Tortilla chips

Layer in Mason Jar in order:
1. 1/2 cup of fresh salsa (or organic store bought)
2. 1/2 can of black beans
3. Red onion, and a handful of red pepper
4. 3/4 cup of organic corn (I use fresh raw if I can, if not you can find organic corn in the frozen section) You can heat it up in a pan to get rid of any moisture before adding to the jar.
5. Top with chopped romaine lettuce and chopped cilantro
6. Bring 1/2 an avocado with you to slice into your salad for extra yummyness. You can also add crushed tortilla chips or fresh guacamole. <Click here for fresh tortilla chips and guacamole recipes>

 Mediterranean Chickpea Salad 

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove chopped finely
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 can chickpeas
1 large lemon
1 cup red pepper chopped
1 cup cucumber chopped
1/2 cup black olives
handful of raisins or chopped dates
Spinach

Directions for chickpea marinade:
1. Cut the lemon in half and juice one half
2. Mix chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and red onion in a bowl

Layer in Mason Jar in order:
1. Marinated chickpeas
2. Red pepper and cucumber
3. Olives
4. Raisins or dates
5. Spinach
Bring the other 1/2 of lemon to squeeze on salad at lunch.


Don't forget to bring a bowl to work and enjoy these yummy recipes! 

-- 

Lots of Love and Fresh Squeezed Hugs!




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Friday 4 October 2013

Vegan Thanksgiving and Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe


I had such a great time on Global Morning News Show today talking about healthy Vegan Thanksgiving recipes! I love the morning news team, always so welcoming and sweet!! When they asked me to do a Vegan Thanksgiving segment I jumped up and squealed with excitement and immediately thought of two recipes: Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie and my sister's Quinoa and WIld Rice Stuffing - it's a hit at all of our family get togethers. My sisters and I all eat vegan, plant based diets so meal times are a blast when we all bring our favorite dishes to mom or dad's. 


I am so thankful for my sisters. Nikki came over last night to help me prep for the show today and make her delicious stuffing! My favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting to spend time with my family. We are all getting together at mom's this year and we're going to cram 20 people into her little condo so it should be cozy and fun! And my Grandma is coming! Last year Grandma tried a raw vegan pie for the first time - we were all a little scared for her reaction but I will let you see for yourself: 


This year I will be bringing a big beautiful salad and a Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie! My sister Chelsea will be doing the mashed potatoes and homemade cranberries. And Nikki will be bringing her famous stuffing and vegan mushroom gravy! 

For Nikki's Thanksgiving tips and recipes go to her blog Food&Fabric: http://foodandfabricmjc.blogspot.ca/2013/10/a-very-vegan-thanksgiving-as-seen-on.html

RAW VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE

The Crust
Ingredients:
  1 cup raw shredded unsweetened coconut flakes 
  1 cup packed, pitted soft dates
 ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (optional—toasted pumpkin seeds for extra yummy flavor!)

1.     Process ¼ cup of the pumpkin seeds into a powder in a food processor. 
2.  Sprinkle it on the bottom of your pie pan, so the crust is easier lift in the end.
3.     Put the remaining raw (or toasted) pumpkin seeds and coconut in the food processor and pulse a couple times, add the dates next and process until it becomes a large ball. 
4.  Press this mixture into the pie pan starting in the center and work your way out to the edges of the pan until it's even and flat. 

The Filling
Ingredients: 
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup raw pumpkin chunks from a fresh pumpkin
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
1 teaspoons ginger powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
2 tbsp raw hemp seeds
10 medjool dates

1.    Blend everything together until it’s a smooth creamy texture. Pour into the pan onto your crust. 
2.  Decorate the top with dried mulberries, your favorite nuts and seeds or vegan whipped cream. 
3.  Chill in the fridge or freezer for easy slicing! 

Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy spending time with your loved ones this Thanksgiving! 

 And check out Bustle.com for the most amazing collection of vegan Thanksgiving recipes I have seen, featuring my pumpkin pie at the end! So cool! 

Lots of Love and fresh squeezed hugs, 
Naturally Ashley
xo

https://www.facebook.com/NaturallyAshleyNutrition
www.naturallyashley.com


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